Library and Research Resources for M.S.N. Students

What is nursing research? Research is the systematic inquiry that relies on disciplined methods to answer questions or to solve problems. Nurses are increasingly engaged in disciplined studies that benefit nursing and its clients. Nursing research is systematic inquiry designed to generate evidence about issues of importance to the nursing profession, including nursing practice. Clinical nursing research is aimed at guiding nursing practice and improving the health and quality of life of nurses' clients.

Polit, D. F and Beck, C. T. (2021) Nursing research:  Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Nursing research is often conducted using the 5 A's of the Evidence-Based Practice Process.

1. Ask a question that can be answered with research evidence. Many nurses use the PICO mnemonic to help them develop good clinical research questions.
2. Acquire literature by searching databases and the online catalog for evidence to answer your clinical question.
3. Appraise the evidence you have collected for validity and applicability to your question. In other words, evaluate your sources.
4. Apply your evidence to clinical practice after integrating it with your clinical expertise and your patient's preferences.
5. Assess or evaluate the effects of the change in practice.

The American Journal of Nursing has collected an informative series of nursing research articles on Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step.